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Left Behind Again?

A once proud program, known throughout the Nation as the Giant Killers, has been reduced to discussing dropping down in conference to increase our outside chances of a NCAA bid.

So dismayed don't even know how to respond. That we are here is an indictment of leadership over multiple years.
The only ones discussing that are on this board, so how can you get mad at the program for something this board does? I very much remember "a once proud program" being talked about as Giant Killers less than 2 years ago, and then those Giant Killers did just that, and knocked off the Big Ten champs.
 
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A once proud program, known throughout the Nation as the Giant Killers, has been reduced to discussing dropping down in conference to increase our outside chances of a NCAA bid.

So dismayed don't even know how to respond. That we are here is an indictment of leadership over multiple years.
I don't even think, for the administration, a drop down would be to increase our chances of NCAA bids. I don't think the administration cares a whole lot about NCAA bids. I think a drop down would be to put ourselves in a conference with other schools that have high endowments, a high academic profile, smaller student bodies, and don't sacrifice acadmics for the greater good of athletics. I think you find all that in the Patriot league
 
I have never heard the administration talk about going to a lesser conference. And, I have never heard the administration say winning is not important. It is only on this board where people continue to speak for the administration and say these things, and then blame the administration for saying what the board says.is true.
 
I would be shocked if it hasn’t been discussed internally, at least informally. But of course it wouldn’t be mentioned publicly unless there was a serious move in that direction.

It certainly happened with football, at least until JOC leaked it. Three years later, we were celebrating an FCS championship.
 
I would be shocked if it hasn’t been discussed internally, at least informally. But of course it wouldn’t be mentioned publicly unless there was a serious move in that direction.

It certainly happened with football, at least until JOC leaked it. Three years later, we were celebrating an FCS championship.
I never knew if that was football only or all sports.
 
It was football-only, when the CAA was about to take over operation from the A-10.
 
I would be shocked if it hasn’t been discussed internally, at least informally.
ok, but being shocked doesn't mean it's ever happened or will ever happen.
that's a problem with fan boards. someone posts something that they think would happen, then the board reacts as if it did. or someone posts opinion as fact and people take it as fact.
 
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I don't think anybody here has claimed that it's under serious consideration by the university. (The football situation certainly indicates it could happen though.)

The mere fact that it looks to some of us here like a Patriot League move could be our best strategy for earning bids going forward is enough to be depressing, for both UR and the A-10 in general.

SpiderTrap said it very well: "I am not advocating the move to the Patriot League. I like the A10. But the I think we act more like a Patriot league team"
 
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I have never heard the administration talk about going to a lesser conference. And, I have never heard the administration say winning is not important. It is only on this board where people continue to speak for the administration and say these things, and then blame the administration for saying what the board says.is true.
Of course, no one in the administration would ever say winning is not important. That would be moronic of them to do so.

What I think everyone is saying is their actions (or in many cases lack of action) tell us that winning is not a priority that many of us feel we should be. As examples:

1. Our baseball team didn't even sniff an NCAA bid for over 10 years under the previous coach. He was only replaced this year after his contract expired.
2. The women's basketball program mired around in mediocracy under Schaffer until his contract expired.
3. And of course, our flagship, 55% of 20 years, over a decade of absence between NCAA bids. The Mooney train continues on.

This type of inaction of just letting your major sports programs operate in mediocracy for years speaks louder than any words they may or may not utter about the importance of winning.

And to be honest, we just heard Queally tell us to "temper our expectations", Hardt tell us it was a transitional year in his postmortem, Mooney rarely articulates a goal for his team (other than to say, he hopes we are playing our best basketball at the end of the season; which is not any type of measureable goal). So, when folks in our administration do actually talk about winning, it is at best is not a very clear message.
 
Agree - SF - I don't think this move is under consideration, and if it is - its top secret.
 
I don't think anybody here has claimed that it's under serious consideration by the university. (The football situation certainly indicates it could happen though.)

The mere fact that it looks to some of us here like a Patriot League move could be our best strategy for earning bids going forward is enough to be depressing, for both UR and the A-10 in general.

SpiderTrap said it very well: "I am not advocating the move to the Patriot League. I like the A10. But the I think we act more like a Patriot league team"
I think our athletic dept. likes being in the A-10,. I would imagine that there are a number of people on the academic side of things who would like nothing better than for us to be in the Patriot League because they consider those schools are "peer schools". I think the bleeds over and is partially why our commitment to winning is not the same as some of our actual peer schools in the A-10.
 
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8legs, I can only speak for myself, but I find your new profile photo as pretty
childless. You don’t like Mooney, okay, we all know that. But to put up a picture
of a billboard that got ridiculed by most, including the national press, demonstrating
your lack of regard for the school, or anyone that does support the program.
I do not have a new profile photo.
 
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It's not new, been there for a few years now and if we had hired any one of hundreds other head coaches at the time that billboard was installed we would be in a better place today than we are now.
That’s a ridiculous assumption. No one knows when a coach may or may not be successful. Richmond hired Dick
Tarrant only after his period as an interim coach.
If I were a recruit and saw someone was so ridiculous to put up a photo of one of our more childless moments
I‘d think twice about what this school has to offer.
In fairness to you, post some other schools billboard.
 
I don't think anybody here has claimed that it's under serious consideration by the university. (The football situation certainly indicates it could happen though.)

The mere fact that it looks to some of us here like a Patriot League move could be our best strategy for earning bids going forward is enough to be depressing, for both UR and the A-10 in general.

SpiderTrap said it very well: "I am not advocating the move to the Patriot League. I like the A10. But the I think we act more like a Patriot league team"
One would have to assume that there was discussion about league affiliation very recently due to the lacrosse situation. I think the outcome demonstrates that the University is satisfied with the A10 and seems to be guiding/molding the league into what it wants it to be. My theory is that UR will never leave the A10, but the more athletics focused schools will and UR will work to bring more academic focused schools into the A10 as replacements. The basketball “competition” looks much easier once Dayton and VCU leave the league. As we all know, the A10 and its basketball prowess is becoming long in the tooth. It is nearly an auto-qualifier only league already.
 
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That is a good point RichmondNative - I could see replacements being more like minded, but the only problem is that schools like VCU and Dayton, who have been more dominant in A10 basketball don't have FBS football programs and those are the programs driving all the conference changes. Maybe a move to the Big East since they are not focused on football, but not sure how much expansion they are looking for and VCU and Dayton know they have a simple path in front of them in the A10 to make the tourney. It would be interesting though - under your assumption - lets say VCU and Dayton did leave - who do you think the A10 would pick up? Or who should the A10 pick up?
 
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That’s a ridiculous assumption. No one knows when a coach may or may not be successful. Richmond hired Dick
Tarrant only after his period as an interim coach.
If I were a recruit and saw someone was so ridiculous to put up a photo of one of our more childless moments
I‘d think twice about what this school has to offer.
In fairness to you, post some other schools billboard.

Hmmm, so much wrong where do I begin?

1: If it is ridiculous for me to assume that we could do better without Moon then it is also ridiculous for you to assume that we couldn't do better without him, fair?
2: If a recruit decides not to come here based on the avatar of one poster on a message board then he was never coming here in the first place.
3: There are no other schools billboards to post a picture of because other athletic departments do not suffer from the unique disease that ours has been plagued with for nearing two decades now.
4: The word that you continue to struggle, and fail, to find is CHILDISH. You sure you are a UR grad buddy?
 
Hmmm, so much wrong where do I begin?

1: If it is ridiculous for me to assume that we could do better without Moon then it is also ridiculous for you to assume that we couldn't do better without him, fair?
2: If a recruit decides not to come here based on the avatar of one poster on a message board then he was never coming here in the first place.
3: There are no other schools billboards to post a picture of because other athletic departments do not suffer from the unique disease that ours has been plagued with for nearing two decades now.
4: The word that you continue to struggle, and fail, to find is CHILDISH. You sure you are a UR grad buddy?
So to sum it up: Recruiting efforts or lack there of are tied to?

Academics
NIL
8legs1dreams avatar.
 
That is a good point RichmondNative - I could see replacements being more like minded, but the only problem is that schools like VCU and Dayton, who have been more dominant in A10 basketball don't have FBS football programs and those are the programs driving all the conference changes. Maybe a move to the Big East since they are not focused on football, but not sure how much expansion they are looking for and VCU and Dayton know they have a simple path in front of them in the A10 to make the tourney. It would be interesting though - under your assumption - lets say VCU and Dayton did leave - who do you think the A10 would pick up? Or who should the A10 pick up?
Agreed that all of this reorganization has been caused by FBS football to the detriment of D1 Hoops. I think Dayton and perhaps SLU would be the most likely to leave for the Big East if the Big East were to expand. I have no destination for VCU athletics as it exists today, but who knows what will happen. My main point is UR will stay in the A10 and look to bring other teams that match its profile into the conference as vacancies arise. This would likely mean pulling teams from the CAA (W&M, Northeastern, Elon, or Charleston) or Patriot League most likely.
 
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8legs, I can only speak for myself, but I find your new profile photo as pretty
childless. You don’t like Mooney, okay, we all know that. But to put up a picture
of a billboard that got ridiculed by most, including the national press, demonstrating
your lack of regard for the school, or anyone that does support the program.
You're mad about a profile picture of a billboard rather than the coach that has been underperforming for the last decade?
 
I definitely don't understand the longing for a Patriot league move, or SoCon/Big South. is that serious? yes, we'd have a better chance at a conference championship. is that all we want? play lesser teams all year and hope for a championship?

I don't get it. I like the A10.
Theres no point in staying in the A10 if the school is committed to Mooney. Mooney has tremendously underperformed in the conference since the 10 year extension and continues to lose to the premier teams in the A10. Theres no point of being in the middle pack of the A10 and I'd rather move down a conference so we don't have to wait every 10 years to make the tournament (assuming Mooney would be able to win the Big South, I don't know anymore)
 
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Secondly, does your opening question mean you would acknowledge that coaching was above par in 2020 and 2022? I mean, if you think the down years are always a coaching issue, then what does that mean about the great, or even, good years? I think it's a combination of a lot of things when you win, and the same when you lose. Let me guess, sounds like you want to join the group on here that wants to blame Mooney when we lose, and then say the players bailed him out when we won?
Mind you that it took him 10 years after receiving a 10 year to have an above par season........... This alone by itself is should be the reason why he is fired. He did make it in 2022 but you seriously cant think those A10 runs are sustainable. It was let alone a miracle that Richmond pulled off those games. Don't let that season fool you though, there's way more evidence of Mooney failures than Mooney successes
 
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We are the ones that want and expect more from the program, you are the one satisfied with being a doormat.
I’m not satisfied with being a doormat program but I am tired of those who say they are fans keep saying the same thing dragging on program in the mud. If you can’t find something positive to say then get another team to support to feel good about.
 
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I’m not satisfied with being a doormat program but I am tired of those who say they are fans keep saying the same thing dragging on program in the mud. If you can’t find something positive to say then get another team to support to feel good about.
I am positive that the Spiders will not finish 14th in the A10 this year. Maybe 15th or 13th, but not 14th.
 
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Really? What happens when two teams play? Doesn't one team have to lose regardless? Is it always because of recruiting and coaching when they do?
If you have Mooney as your head coach, usually the result is that your team loses
 
I’m not satisfied with being a doormat program but I am tired of those who say they are fans keep saying the same thing dragging on program in the mud. If you can’t find something positive to say then get another team to support to feel good about.
I think some already support another team.
 
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I’m not satisfied with being a doormat program but I am tired of those who say they are fans keep saying the same thing dragging on program in the mud. If you can’t find something positive to say then get another team to support to feel good about.
What is there to feel good about this program right now?
 
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